Montgomery input sought on church near Sugarloaf

Decision delayed on proposal for large facility near just over county line

Members of the Global Mission Church of Greater Washington will have to wait until October to learn if they can build an 85-foot-tall church near Sugarloaf Mountain.

The Silver Spring-based Southern Baptist parish wants to build a 138,027-square-foot church near the border of Frederick and Montgomery counties.

After hearing four hours of testimony, the Frederick County Planning Commission delayed its decision last week because too many questions remain.

For example, the church would not have access to public water and sewer, so the 1,160-member congregation would have to use well and septic systems. Commission members want to know how that would affect nearby residents' well and septic systems.

The church parking lot would exit onto Route 109 in Montgomery County, and residents fear that traffic would increase through Barnesville and Comus.

Because the majority of the residents who spoke at the meeting live in Montgomery County, commission members said they want input from Montgomery leaders.

Montgomery County residents filled Winchester Hall, the seat of Frederick County's government, to ask the commission not to approve the church.

"The footprint of this proposed mega-church will be in Frederick, but its effects will be seen and felt among Montgomery residents living in the Sugarloaf Mountain view shed," said Steve Dryden, of the nonprofit Montgomery Countryside Alliance.

Wendelyn Duke of Ijamsville said she is concerned that the trend of congregations building mega-churches is detrimental to the landscape.

"Building these big churches results in more of an industrial-park feeling," Duke said. "Not an improvement or something that complements Frederick County's rural agricultural beauty."

The church bought the property on the west side of Interstate 270 in 2004. The plan calls for 232 parking spaces and a 500-seat dining hall and kitchen. Church leaders propose using the building for bible study, mission training, prayer, sports, bazaars, weddings, funerals, dinners and services.

The church plans to hold five worship services in English and Korean between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sundays.

David A. Severn, the Frederick attorney representing Global Mission, took exception with the description of the proposal as a "mega-church."

"The term mega-church' is totally inappropriate," he said. "I don't want this characterized as some beehive of activity. This is a church with Sunday worship. These folks want to be part of this community, and they're willing to work with this community."